


Missing in Action

by spookyawards_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-03-22
Updated: 2003-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-27 05:58:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14419143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookyawards_archivist/pseuds/spookyawards_archivist
Summary: When Clara and Scully go missing, Mulder helps Walter to realize how much the women mean in their lives and convinces him to take a chance with his heart.





	Missing in Action

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Spooky Awards](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Spooky_Awards), and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2018. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [SpookyAwards' collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/spookyawards/profile).

 

Missing in Action

## Missing in Action

### by Donnilee
    
    
    TITLE:          MISSING IN ACTION
    AUTHOR:         DONNILEE
    RATING:         NC-17
    CATEGORY:       SK/OTHER
    SPOILERS:       Little ones:  Avatar, S.R. 819, Zero Sum.  
    SUMMARY:        When Clara and Scully go missing, Mulder 
    

helps Walter to realize how much the women mean in their lives and convinces him to take a chance with his heart. DISCLAIMER: Mulder, Scully, Skinner and Kimberly are the property of Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions and Fox Broadcasting. Clara, Trudy, Selma, Agent Philips and Rinto are ALL MINE! If I owned the principals, they'd all be getting more nooky! 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Linda Fricker gave me the idea about having Clara and Scully snatched. Her idea involved the drug king pins from "D is for Dangerous". I didn't use that part, but the kidnapping part was such a great idea dn I wanted to use it. This is dedicated to Linda. Thanks for the wonderful idea!  
AUTHOR'S NOTE #2: I know that I need to get busy on some requested sequels. But having finished the alphabet series, I breathed a sigh of relief! And I needed another little break. So I decided to revisit Skinner and Clara. Clara was first seen in "D is   
for Dangerous," and her story was told in "Trial and Error." This is another episode in the relationship of Skinner and Clara and I hope you like it. 

Again, race is mentioned in this story, but it is not the focus, nor do I mean it to be. I down play it on purpose. The focus is on the change and development in the relationship to something more lasting, a deeper connection for these two. I may deal with the race issue some time in the future. I hesitate to do so because it is such a touchy subject with so many, so I would have to be extra special careful! It is an issue near and dear to my heart. 

As Dennis Miller said in one of his rants, "I'm so uptight about being called a racist that I refuse to separate the colors from my whites in the wash. So let's proceed with caution - everybody stay FROSTY!" 

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**PART 1 (PG-13)**  
**WEST VIRGINIA**  
**ROUTE 81 - 4:00 PM**  
**WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2001**

It has struck me as amazing; how quickly a day can go from bright and sunny to dismal and nerve racking. In the space of a heart beat, your reality can be turned upside down. Everything that is good and bright in your world can be snatched away in the time ... well, in the time it takes you to go to the bathroom. 

That's when it happened. But I'll get to that in a minute. I used to be a very predictable man. Still am in many ways. But when I was young, I knew what I wanted. I knew how to get it and I wasn't afraid to work hard for it. I did all those things and made my way up the ladder. I found myself in the Assistant Director's chair at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. How proud and full of hope I had been then. My path was clear, I knew my job and looked forward to a gratifying if not exciting career behind a desk. 

Then Agents Mulder and Scully came under my supervision and life started to get a little weird. Later, it got more exciting than I was prepared to handle! And it got a LOT weirder. It was little things at first. They spent an awful lot of time in the hospital recovering from various spills and accidents. Then later, hospital time was logged because of obvious attempts on their life. 

Now, the smart thing to do would have been to never get involved. But I wasn't really given a choice. Elements of the government, secret elements, took about two seconds to find out who was supervising these pesky agents and came knocking on my door without so much as a 'how ya' doin'? 

Cancerman. Black Lunged Bastard, as I now call him. I didn't know which one was more my nemesis, and my agents' nemesis, CGB Spender or that cocky, little punk, Krychek. 

My various escapades on their behalf are another story entirely. I could write a book. However, I grew fond of Mulder and Scully and did whatever I could to help them. Under someone else, they would have been severely hobbled. Then again, there really was no such thing as holding Mulder back. Not in those days. I quickly realized anyone who garnered the attention of a shadow government was onto something. Maybe not aliens, but something. As it turned out, aliens it was. 

Then I was compromised by the nanotechnology; little machines in my blood stream that can turn my blood to JellO and give me a heart attack in about ten seconds. If you'd asked me eight years ago if something like this even existed, I would have told you that you were full of shit. 

Lovely thing to live with. Lovely thing, and I say this sarcastically, for anybody close to me to live with. It prevents me from being the man I want to be. I once was a man of integrity. Now I am a man who wants only to survive. 

I still do what I can for my agents, but I am severely hampered. I've lived with that anger for a long time. However, what I have had to endure is but a fraction of what my agents have been through, and yet, they are still standing, still fighting and closer than ever. They are a couple now, partners in every sense of the word. They've never been happier, or a more formidable team. 

I'm glad for them. Personally, I couldn't figure out what the hold up was with the two of them getting together. Love had never entered my mind, I just knew those two had some sort of animal chemistry that sparked whenever they worked together. Everyone could sense it. 

Then I'd seen them together in a warehouse a while back, about seven months now in fact, and realized with a jolt that not only were they 'suited' to one another and kept each other sane, but they were in love with one another. 

Clara Jordan, a feisty D.C. cop with a doctorate in psychology and a wit as sharp as a tack and an eerie perception of human nature, was the first to point it out to me. I fell for Clara that day, kinky hair, cafe au latte skin, dimples and all. That's another story too. 

Suffice it to say that if it wasn't for Mulder and Scully, I wouldn't have met her, or re-met her as the case may be. I'd remembered her vaguely from the Monty Propps case in which she'd been an expert witness as a psychologist before becoming a cop. I spent an entire month hemming and hawing over whether to pursue her. Knowing we faced formidable obstacles because of our careers, and being of different races. 

I'd chewed on it for a long time. But her face wouldn't leave my mind. And I'd fall asleep and dream of making love to her. I finally couldn't stand it anymore. I had to see her again. 

Finally bucking up my courage I'd asked Agent Scully to do a little recon for me and determine my chances. To my surprise, she had already discussed me with Clara and had no doubt that my chances were good. 

I called her that night to ask her out on a date. It was nearly one month to the day since that warehouse deal and my agents getting together as a couple, I was as nervous as I'd ever been. With regard to women, I didn't have a ton of women in my youth, but I wasn't a nerd either. I had plenty of experience. 

Then again, I'd been married for 17 years and was out of practice with the dating game. She was the first woman to turn my head since my divorce. And she'd turned it so forcefully, it's a wonder my head hadn't twisted off my shoulders. As it turned out, it didn't matter. I took her on one date and ended up in her bed that night. And I'd never looked back. I'd made love to her and the pleasure had been mind blowing, like nothing I'd ever felt before. I knew it was because there was so much more there than her body. 

The nervousness, in retrospect, came from the fact that I had NEVER wanted a woman in my life as much as I had wanted Clara. My feelings for her were frightening. It wasn't just a physical thing, although that part was powerful. She fascinated me, intrigued me. I took a chance by bringing her into my life. I was not a safe person to spend time with, any more than my agents were. 

But I was selfish. I couldn't stay away from her. I was drawn to her like a magnet and had been spinning in her wake every since. I was helpless to fight the vicious attraction she held for me. 

We'd been together a mere six months now. In that time, she had brought entirely new dimensions to my life. She had brought lazy Saturday afternoons, eating ice cream in bed and watching sappy old movies. She had brought picnics in the park and laughter in the shower. These were things I may have had with Sharon for a year or two in the beginning of our marriage. But they had faded quickly. I had learned to live without them. They were a part of my past, relegated to the past and I was content to leave them there. Or so I thought. 

Then Clara came along and turned my life upside down. I was infatuated with her at first. Then I was in awe of her and scared of where we were going. One night with her and I was addicted like a drug addict. I needed a daily Clara fix or I went out of mind. And now, six months later, there was no doubt in my mind. I was completely, irreversibly in love with Clara Jordan. 

Six months of unbelievable happiness in my personal life. The best six months that I had had in the last 20 years. And now she was gone, missing. Snatched by someone right out from underneath my nose, in the time it took me to take a leak. 

Already I had heaped danger on her shoulders. I had made her a target for our enemies. Scully was gone too. They had been together. God knew where they were now. 

Mulder had always whined with guilt and remorse over the danger he had put Scully in. I had always poo-pooed his self-flagellation, thinking he was over the top, taking responsibility for things that weren't his fault. 

Scully was an agent. She bought into the risk. Clara was a D.C. cop. She knew all about risk too. And ... none of that mattered when the woman you loved was in danger. Regardless of how capable these two women were, they were vulnerable, like we all were at times. I was in love with her and I had never told her. I was afraid to be that vulnerable. Did she love me? I didn't know. Those words had never been spoken by either of us. 

Now, as we sped south on I-81, I knew exactly how Mulder felt. I didn't know why she was taken, but I knew that it probably had to do with me. The guilt was crushing. I would never give Mulder hell for his pity/guilt parties again. I was having one of epic proportions. 

Clara had worked some overtime lately and her Lieutenant gave her a comp day. Scully and Clara had been meeting for lunch. I'd gotten a call at the office that Clara's car was broke down and she was calling for a tow. They asked me to come down and pick them up. I had planned to take Scully back to work and do the unthinkable, take the rest of the afternoon off without warning, and make love to my lady all afternoon. Me, Walter Skinner, had been going to play hookey. 

When she told me the car was dead as a door nail, wouldn't even turn over, I should have suspected something then. Clara's car was nearly brand new. It was just a little VW Jetta, but it was only about two years old and it was in good shape. 

She just said it wouldn't start and had called for a tow. She and Scully were going across the street to get an ice cream cone at the parlor across from the diner. I'd arrived to get them and they were on the sidewalk. I told them I had to run in and use the restroom. When I came out they were gone. Vanished. Her car was gone too. The wrecker had come and gone in the time I was inside. I remember thinking, 'that was quick.' 

At first, I thought they might have gone over to the diner because they'd forgotten a purse or something. I went across the street to check and they weren't there. I ran around both the diner and the ice cream parlor on the off chance that I was overreacting. 

My cell phone rang about one minute later. It was Mulder saying Scully had just tried to call him and said, "We're in trouble, we've been grabbed." Then she'd been cut off. I'd called the D.C. police and told them to be on the look out for any cars with a driver and two female passengers, one African American and one Caucasian redhead. And to stop them immediately if they were spotted. 

Now they had another thing that they could use against me. Not that they needed one. The nanomites were plenty. But ... I would give my life in the right circumstances. I would let them kill me if it came down to the wire. They probably knew that too. But now I'd gone and provided them with something more precious to me than my own life. 

I'd taken a lover. And worse, I'd fallen in love with her. And in so doing, I might as well have stapled a bulls' eye on her back. Clarity crashed in on me. 

I realized now why Mulder and Scully had hesitated for so long to get involved. To have the one you loved used to get at you, was a painful thing. But what did they want this time? And who was behind it? 

We'd talked about it briefly before I'd sunk into a funk. I cleared my throat, watching the scenery fly by. "Is it worth it, Mulder?" 

He glanced at me and then back at the road. "What's that, sir?" 

"Is being with them worth this? This kind of risk to them?" 

Mulder sighed heavily and shook his head. "I don't know. I can't answer that for you. But I know that I sacrificed my happiness for years under the guise of 'protecting Scully.' And for what? Was she protected? Hell no. Now I know that whether I was her lover or not, she could be used against me. I loved her, whether I was allowed to touch her or not." 

"And it would hurt just as badly to have her taken away before I touched her as it would after I'd been allowed to love her. I've seen both sides now, and they hurt equally bad. So ... and Scully and I have discussed this at length ... " 

God he was still talking, and he was making way too much sense for Mulder. It was a little disconcerting. 

"I say we should grab happiness where we can find it. If her getting shot in that warehouse taught me nothing else, it was that life is too damn short. And with no joy to balance the pain, what's it all for? Either one of us could be gone tomorrow. Same with you and Clara, she's a cop. Her job is dangerous too. Being together, it doesn't lower or raise the risk, I don't think, but it makes it more bearable. And worthwhile. It gives me a reason to keep fighting, to get out of bed in the morning." 

"I have a future with Scully to fight for now, not just my own self serving obsessions. They are cold company after a while. I can't remember what it was like not to love her, I've loved her for so long. I don't think I ever had a choice." 

"That was a long answer," I deadpanned. 

He flashed a smirk. "The short answer is, yes. I think it's worth it. The other answer is ... it's not entirely up to us." 

I sighed heavily. "Meaning they need to decide what's best for them, not us." 

"Exactly. And don't try to tell Scully any different. Took me a long time to accept that. But it was key to our relationship." 

We both chuckled mirthlessly. "Such is the bane of being attracted to strong women. Ironic isn't it?" I asked. 

"What? That we can't stand simpering women with air in their heads. But we find a strong, intelligent, capable woman and all we want to do is protect her?" 

"Yeah. Like I said, ironic, huh?" 

"Yeah, I guess it is. But regardless, I think we always want to protect the ones we love, strong or not. It's human nature. And if Scully were to ever tell me, you, or anyone else that she doesn't try to protect me, she'd be lying through her teeth." 

I smirked. "That woman has protected you and saved your ass more times than I can count." 

"You're not telling me anything I don't know, sir." 

"Sorry Mulder, didn't mean to bring up a sore subject." 

"You didn't. I've gotten over it some, blaming myself. Scully's helped me to do that. I realize I can't protect her all the time. It doesn't mean I have to like it. And she's had to accept that I will always try to some extent to protect her. 

"She finally realized my protectiveness toward her didn't mean that I thought she was weak or wasn't capable. It was because I love her. But she didn't know that in the beginning, so my behavior didn't make sense. It came off as patronizing and infuriated her. She knows differently now. And I've had to learn to let go some and stop trying to control her or her environment all the time. 

"That's not what she needs me to do. What she needed was for me to be there. Just be there, and support her, physically as back up and emotionally when she needed that too. And that's what Clara needs from you. Just be there. Let her know she can count on you to lean on if she needs to. But she has to decide when she needs to, not you. Scully and I called the scales even, finally, after several marathon discussions." 

"I didn't mean to imply that you hadn't been her savior as well." 

"Savior? Hardly. She wouldn't have needed to be saved if it wasn't for me. But I've had to accept that she chose to stay. You helped me realize that too. She made her choices and one of them was to stay with me. I have to accept that and all that it means. Frankly, I'm humbled by it every day." 

"It's still unbelievable to me that she loves me. It's unbelievable that I can give her moments of joy and happiness. That someone like Scully could love me. Me, Spooky Mulder. But she tells me that I do make her happy and that she does love me. And if I trust her ... which I do, then I have to believe her. And I have to believe that I'm worthy of that love, or accept that she thinks so, and that's all that matters. As she so nicely put it, 'I couldn't love an idiot.'" 

"I'm not there yet, letting go of the guilt." 

"You will be once she gives you hell a couple times for being an arrogant asshole." 

"Hey!" 

"Just giving you advance warning," he quipped. He was trying to the lighten the mood and it was working some. I appreciated the gesture. I knew he was as worried about Scully as I was about Clara. But he had more experience with this sort of thing. Not that this would make it any easier for him or hurt less. But it was my first time having the love of my life ripped away from me. I was terrified, sick with worry over what could be happening to her. 

He continued. "I was informed in no uncertain terms that it was the worst kind of macho arrogance to think that I knew what was best for her." 

"Mulder, do you have any clue what this is all about?" I asked, changing the subject. I was getting choked up and really didn't want to do that just now. 

"No, but either he isn't very smart, or Scully was able to slip away and use her credit card. It's the only lead we have." 

"Raleigh, North Carolina." 

"Yup, she withdrew $300.00 in cash. That's the limit for a day on her debit card." 

"Damn it!" I huffed through clenched teeth, exasperated at my powerlessness. 

"Keep your cool, sir. I need you to stay with me on this one." 

"I'm here, I'm just frustrated. They've been gone over 24 hours." He and I both knew that after 24 hours, the chances of finding them unharmed dropped dramatically. 

"I know. We'll find them. Don't doubt that. And neither of them are helpless or stupid females. We both know that. They are both resourceful. They'll help each other." 

"If they are together." 

"If one had gotten away, we would have heard from them first thing. I'm sure of that." 

"Mulder, ... she's a cop, but alone ..." 

"Scully wouldn't leave her, sir. Even if she had the chance, she wouldn't leave Clara behind. I know her. And she had her weapon. Maybe she was lucky enough to keep it hidden." 

I blew air out of pursed lips, trying to regain some composure. Getting upset and hot headed and angry was not going to help right now. "I know. God, I'm just so scared," I mumbled. 

Mulder glanced at me again and back at the road. I looked over to see the speedometer reading 85 mph. We were flying. 

"You love her a lot don't you?" Mulder asked. 

I snapped my head around to look at him. "That obvious?" 

"To me it is. Then again, I know you." 

"And you're a damned psychologist." 

"You make it sound like a disease!" 

"Didn't mean too. Sometimes I just want to hide. That's a very hard thing to do around you." 

He smiled briefly. "You don't have to hide around me. I won't think any less of you for falling in love with a beautiful, intelligent woman like Clara. Lord knows I wasn't immune. And if anybody should have been immune, it was me." 

"Why? Because you're smarter than everyone else?" I teased. 

Mulder chuckled. "Hardly. I meant because I was obsessed and self centered. Falling in love was not in my game plan. Diana had soured me on relationships. I was determined to have no distractions from my quest. But falling in love has nothing to do with intelligence anyway. Lord knows it would have been smarter for us if we hadn't. But ... the heart knows no reason, love is blind, and all that jazz." 

"I know that. I was teasing. And you sound like a philosopher, Mulder. When you start waxing poetic that really starts to worry me." 

"Don't get me started," he deadpanned. 

I chuckled in spite of my morose mood. I was enjoying talking with Mulder. We didn't get a chance very often to just talk like two men who are friends. He really was a very intelligent, interesting person, even when he wasn't talking about aliens and government conspiracies. I figured that not many people got to see this side of him. I was glad that he had come to trust me enough to discuss these things with me. He pulled off an exit into a huge rest stop with a strip mall, and I asked, "Where are you going?" 

"It's a rest stop. There was sign for Burger King. I'm hungry. And we could use some more gas." 

"You can think of eating at a time like this?" 

"Won't do the girls any good if we faint from hunger. I haven't eaten since breakfast and neither have you.. We'll get something in the drive thru." 

We pulled in and got in line behind the other cars. He looked at me, asking me what I wanted without saying anything. 

"Get me some onion rings. They're nice and portable." 

Mulder nodded. When we arrived at the speaker he ordered two burgers three sets of onion rings and two cokes. I wondered how the hell he stayed so thin. He ate like this all the time. We got our order and then gas. We headed back out onto the highway, the boxes of onion rings on the seat between us as we ate our burgers. He'd gotten me a burger even though I hadn't asked for it. We munched in silence. 

I was hungrier than I thought, once I started eating and devoured it and the onion rings. I was wishing I'd gotten more. Mulder waved his hand at the third box of onion rings and said, "Help yourself. I knew one wouldn't be enough. I chuckled and we shared the rest of them. 

"Mulder?" 

"Yeah?" 

"I don't like the reason we're together, but I'm enjoying talking to you like this." 

He grunted. "Me too. I can't discuss this stuff with the Gunmen. They won't be serious for two minutes without making some lewd comment. And I really don't have any other ... " 

"Any other friends?" I finished for him. 

"Yeah. Pretty pathetic, huh?" 

"No, I'm in the same boat. Our careers don't exactly engender close relationships. We are a pair, aren't we?" I hesitated but then added. "I'm your friend, Mulder. I know you've doubted me but I've always been on your side no matter how it's looked sometimes. I like you, just plain like you and I respect you. I don't know if I've actually ever told you that." 

He sighed. "I know that now. And I appreciate it. I don't know if I've ever really thanked you for sticking up for us all these years. I like you too." He grinned, looking a little embarrassed. "Anyway, thank you, for all the times I forgot to say it." 

"No need. You've pulled my ass out of few jams yourself. That awful incident with the ... dead hooker for one." I cringed remembering how surreal that whole time had been. 

"I consider the scales balanced." 

"You do understand why I did what I did when that girl was killed by those bees, don't you?" 

"You covered it up, but I understand why you did it. They didn't leave you any choice in the matter." 

"Well, you helped me then too, and I appreciate your not holding it against me. I was only doing what I thought I had to do at the time. I was framed. I should have known better. I should have known it was set up." 

"Don't worry about it. I was never keeping score anyway." 

"Me neither." 

"Well, I hope you consider me a friend too," he said. 

"I do. We've never had a normal boss/employee relationship anyway." 

He flashed a smile. "No, we haven't." 

We rode in silence for a while and then I asked, "What's it like for you?" 

"Sir?" 

"If we're going to be friends, I think you should call me Walter when no one else is around." 

"O.K., Walter. What are you talking about?" 

"Being with Scully." 

"I'm not sure what you're asking." I could hear the edge in his voice. He wasn't sure whether to be offended by the question or not. 

"I'm not asking about THAT, Mulder." 

"That?" 

"Sex. I'm not asking about the sex." He actually blushed slightly and I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped. 

"Then what are you asking?" 

"What does she make you feel?" 

"Could you be more specific? That's pretty broad. With regard to what?" 

"Well, for instance, Clara makes me feel so ... male." 

He laughed then. "I know what you mean. Yes, Scully makes me feel very much like a man." 

I sighed. "I've never experienced this before. This excitement over a relationship is a new thing for me. I think about her constantly. When we're not together, I count the hours until I can see her again. Christ, I'm like a love sick school boy. I gag myself sometimes." 

I surprised myself with this admission but I really felt a need to tell someone about it. And who else was there but Mulder? I'd shared nothing with anyone since Clara and I had started dating. 

Mulder smiled softly. "Now I get it." 

"Huh?" 

"What you were asking. You're emotional right now. You want to know if what you're feeling is normal. It is, I can tell you that. Let's see. Scully makes me feel so many things, I hardly know where to start. Love obviously. I'm besotted with her, but you knew that already. She makes me feel worthwhile and loveable. Yeah, loveable." 

"No one ever made me feel loveable before. Women of my past made me feel smart, sexy, out of control. Women have made me feel those things, but never loveable. She makes me feel safe and loved. She makes me feel all that and more." 

I sighed. "Yeah, you know, I've never been with anyone that made the world disappear, until Clara." 

"World disappear?" he asked. "Better explain that one." 

"When she touches me, it's like everything else just fades away. All my troubles, all my stress just goes away. She and I are the only two people in the world it seems for those few moments." 

"Glad to know I'm not the only one who's got it bad!" he quipped. 

I laughed then. "I sound like a real love sick pup, don't I?" 

"Yeah, but it's a good look on you, softens the edges." 

We both laughed then. I don't know why I said the next thing. It was too personal and totally inappropriate but I couldn't seem to help myself. My voice was barely above a whisper, "And the sex is fucking mind-blowing." 

His head snapped around to look at me, eyes wide. He was clearly startled that I would share this with him. So was I. Then he just threw his head back and laughed. 

"I'm glad for you." He paused and then said, "For me too." He shook his head as his mirth died and I saw another look descend on his face. It was probably the same dumb struck look I wore half the time these days. I still couldn't believe I was with her and that she wanted to be with me. 

I knew he was thinking of Scully and being with her. Finally he said, "I'd never made love till I was with Scully. I thought I had, but I hadn't. I thought I'd been in love too, but I wasn't. Being with Scully added a whole new dimension to intimacy that I hadn't known existed. It's not just physical, although lord knows, there's nothing not to like there. But my brain is heavily involved, so is my heart. It makes a huge difference." 

I nodded, knowing what he meant. "I can relate, Mulder. I'm almost ashamed to admit it but what I had with Sharon was a shadow of what I feel for Clara. I can't hide from her the way I could from Sharon." 

"Emotionally, you mean?" 

"Yeah. I'm an open book with Clara and it's like I don't have a choice. She makes me feel so damned vulnerable. It scares the shit out of me and yet ... " 

"It's so good you don't care," he finished for me. 

I smiled. "Yeah, it's like I have fear about being so exposed. But I DON'T have fear that she will think less of me if I'm vulnerable. There's been no one in my life that I felt I could just totally be myself with, you know? But I want to be with Clara. I'm more open with her than I've ever been in my life. I was always guarding a piece of myself that I wouldn't give away to anyone for fear I'd lose myself. Still am. And that fear is huge where Clara is concerned because she makes me feel raw. I don't know why. I'm still struggling with that." 

"It's that way for me and Scully now, no secrets. And I do know why you can't let go yet." 

"Tell me, please." 

"Trust." 

"Trust?" 

"Yes. When you trust someone one hundred percent, unconditionally, there is no room for fear or jealousy. Before we were together, my gut twisted with jealousy every time a man looked at Scully like she was a sweet tart." 

I barked a laugh out and coughed. "A sweet tart?" 

"Delectable candy," he confirmed. "And that happened almost daily. I know why now. I was afraid someone would take her away from me. It was the last little piece of trust, piece of me that I withheld from her. I didn't trust her not to break my heart by walking away. I didn't want her to know how much I needed her. I was afraid she didn't need me as much. 

"After all that time, I still didn't trust that she wouldn't leave someday. Some case would be the lost straw or some guy would catch her eye and she'd decide she had had enough and wanted to settle down. 

"I did trust her never to lie to me. But those were questions I couldn't ask. Would she stay no matter what? And did she love me? I was afraid of the answer. So I never asked and lived in fear that she would leave." 

"And now?" 

"She told me she loves me. She's promised that she will never willingly leave me." 

"And you believe her." It was a statement. Did I sound skeptical? 

"Yes, I believe her because I trust her to be honest with me. It's not her fault I was afraid to ask the question. So as confusing as it is to me some days how she could possibly love me, I believe her. My Scully doesn't lie. Now I can laugh when other men give her the eye and be proud that she's with me, instead of being jealous and fearful." 

"How can you trust other guys, Mulder? Most men are pigs." 

He grinned. "A ringing endorsement for our gender," he deadpanned. "And I totally agree." He paused, glancing at me and seeing my confusion. "I don't need to trust them, Walter." 

"I don't get it." I was confused. 

"I don't need to trust them because I trust her ... implicitly, unconditionally. Scully didn't give her love to me lightly. And I don't believe she will take it away lightly either. She doesn't fall in and out of love on a whim. We fell in love slowly, over the years. It was insidious. So why would I think she would give it lightly to someone else after having finally committed herself to me?" 

This was starting to make more sense, I thought. 

"If someone was ever to come on to her, I trust HER to turn them down. And she is an armed federal agent, after all." He flashed that Mulder grin at me. "So I don't worry over much about her being able to defend herself against the every day advances of pig men." 

"Wow. That's great. I don't think I'm there yet. Clara's so young and beautiful." 

"She's forty years old!" 

"But she looks thirty, and I'm 48 and I look 55." 

"No you don't. And it doesn't matter anyway. All that matters is what SHE thinks. And she is obviously attracted to you. Viciously attracted to you if Scully is to be believed. And you'll get there, give it some time to grow. You need to believe in her. Clara loves you, Walter. God, I've seen the way she looks at you. She's as moonstruck as you are. She adores you." 

"And you might lose yourself in her, so what? When you think about it, who cares? The pleasure and joy of having a mate is worth it. The thing is, I lose myself in Scully all the time, but it's all right because she will give it back. When I need to stand on my own, she lets go. And it's all right because she's a part of me. But I'm also a part of her. And if you let Clara in, you'll become as essential to her as she is to you. I'd put money on it. 

He paused. "She is in love with you, Walter." 

"You think so?" I sounded so hopeful it was almost pathetic. 

"I know so. She's said as much to Scully." 

"Really?" Hope was bubbling up inside me and I knew it was a dangerous thing, but I couldn't seem to put a lid on it. 

"Yeah. She's head over heels in love with you. I shouldn't be repeating this really. I overheard her tell Scully she was in love with you. Scully urged her to tell you but she said it wasn't time yet. Maybe she's waiting on you, Walter. Like I said, I shouldn't repeat it, but I can't stand to see you be so unsure about her. You are meant to be together, just like Scully and I were." 

He paused a moment and then said, "Take a chance. Let go of that last bit of fear. Let her in. Tell her you love her. You won't be sorry. There's nothing like it." 

He paused again. "And women need to hear it. They can KNOW it till the cows come home, but women need to hear it, those three little words, before they'll give YOU everything. Scully didn't respond, not with words anyway, at first, but I'll never forget the look on her face when I told her I'd fallen in love with her. It was like a dam let loose behind her eyes and she broke wide open. And I knew in that instant, she loved me too. She'd known it, but she'd needed to hear it. To have it confirmed. 

"And I'll tell you something else. The first time you say it is hard and it's scary as hell, but it's easier every time. And now I don't even think about it. I make sure to tell her every day. You never know when there won't be a tomorrow." 

I felt the tears sting the back of my eyes. I knew he saw me getting misty and I took a deep breath trying to tamp it down. To my embarrassment, my voice cracked when I said, "We have to find them, Mulder. She has to be O.K." 

He nodded. "We'll find them, I promise." 

"I have to believe we have more time, Mulder. I have to believe God didn't bring her into my life after all these years only to snatch her away after I'd finally found true happiness. I've waited all my life for her, I think. It can't be over yet." 

"Nonsense! Stop it!" he scolded. "It's not nearly over. I told you we will find them. That's my life out there somewhere too. They are O.K. I feel it in here." He thumped his chest. "We'll find them. Have I ever broken a promise to you?" 

"No, but then again, I don't think you've ever made one." 

He chuckled again. "Well I'm not breaking this one. We'll find them. Failure is not an option." 

He sounded so sure. God, I prayed he was right. If I held her in my arms again, I swore at that moment, that there was going to be no more holding back. 

Suddenly, I blurted out, "I've never told her, Mulder! God, why didn't I tell her? Me and my fool headed pride, afraid to look stupid, or be hurt." 

He looked at me and back at the road. "You'll get a chance." 

"I have to tell her." 

"You will. I promise." 

Mulder giving me reassurance. Now that was a switch! 

**PART 2 (PG-13)**  
**RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA**  
**FBI FIELD OFFICE - 9:00 AM**  
**THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2001**

We'd spoken with the field agent, Agent Phillips about our situation. He'd taken us out to the strip mall with the ATM where Scully or their captor had used her credit card. It was outside a Chase Bank on the sidewalk. We had secured the video tapes from two days ago and sat looking through them on the tape editing equipment that could stop and freeze or go frame by frame. 

The bank record of her receipt had a time on it, 10:00 PM, so we had some idea where to start looking. We sat in silence and watched people one by one come up and use the ATM. These tapes were always such shitty quality. With all the technology in the world, I wondered why they hadn't come up with better quality on these things. On all security cameras for that matter. 

We both sat up and forward as we saw Scully approach the ATM with a man behind her. She came up to his eyebrows and she was wearing high heels, so I put him at about 5' 8" tall. Neither of us recognized him. He was a bulky man with large arms. He had a hand on Scully's bicep and what looked like a gun in the pocket of his windbreaker. He had it trained on her as she walked up to the camera. 

We watched as she looked up at the camera. He shouted something and she mouthed a word but then was jerked toward him, nearly off her feet. She returned and made the transaction. He turned to look behind him, I supposed at Clara. Maybe she was in a car. 

Scully turned and mouthed two words this time. Mulder stopped the tape and rewound it. We watched four times and neither of us could figure out what she had said. 

"Shit!" I exclaimed. 

Mulder looked at me and said, "Let's get a lip reader." 

"A lip reader?" 

"Yeah, a deaf person, one that reads lips. It can't be that hard to find one." 

"Good idea." 

**XXXXXXXXXX**

While Agent Philips was calling the Board of Education for the Deaf to find out if he could track down a lip reader in the area, we got a call from D.C. 

I'd had my secretary, Kimberly going to my apartment and Clara's to check the messages. I'd given her keys to both places. She'd seemed overwhelmed that I trusted her to do this. Normally I wouldn't, but I didn't know who else to ask. My cell phone rang and I answered it on the first ring. 

"Skinner." 

"It's Kimberly." 

"Kim? What's wrong?" I could hear the trepidation in her voice. 

"There's a message on your machine." 

"From who?" 

"From the ... kidnapper." 

"Kidnapper?" 

"Yeah, he wants money." 

"Play it for me. Are you in my apartment?" I turned to Mulder. "Mulder, get over here." 

"Yes," she replied. 

"Should I call Bureau?" 

"Not yet. Play it for me first." 

"Hold on." I heard some fumbling and a squeal. Then I heard the distinctive beep of my answering machine. 

Mulder had his ear next to mine and I tipped the phone so he could hear. The voice was tinny and obviously being run through some device to digitize it and disguise it. 

[Mr. Skinner, I presume. I have something I'm sure you'd like back. She is a fine piece of ass, I must say although I don't generally like them this dark.] 

"Fucker," I mumbled under my breath. Mulder's hand came down and patted my clenched fist in reassurance. I flexed my fingers as it went on. 

[The other one though is just my type, white and creamy.] This time it was Mulder who clenched his fists. 

[It's going to cost you. I have your feisty, little Agent too. I didn't know who she was at first, that was an added surprise. I want $250,000.00 - each! I'll contact you soon to make arrangements. Bye, bye now.] 

"Damn it! This doesn't make sense!" I shouted. 

Kimberly's voice sounded frightened. "What do you want me to do, Sir?" 

I took a deep breath. "Sorry I yelled, Kim. Take the tape out and take it to Bureau. Find Agent Julie Rinto. She works in Kidnapping. Tell her ... tell her I need everything's she's got. Give her keys to my place and Clara's and tell her to stake them out and tap for more calls. Set up a tracer. Tell her ... tell her this bastard has Agent Scully and my ... " 

What do I call her? I couldn't say lover. That would be tacky. I glanced at Mulder to see his eyebrow raised in a fair simulation of Scully's. He whispered, "Girlfriend, Walter, she's your girlfriend." 

His quirky little smile irritated me but I could hardly blame him. I was a wreck. 

"Girlfriend. He's got my girlfriend. Tell Julie ... that's it. Have her call me on my cell phone." 

"Yes, sir. I'm so sorry, Sir. I wish ... " 

"Never mind, Kimberly. You've done great. I appreciate it." 

"No problem. I'm heading over there now. Let me know if you need anything else, anything at all. You have my cell phone number?" 

"Yeah, Kim, I've got it, you're on my speed dial." 

"I am?!" She sounded incredulous. 

"Yeah, you are." I smiled despite my mood. She was a great secretary and I didn't tell her often enough. I'd have to rectify that too. But right now I had bigger things on my mind. I did manage to say, "Kimberly, thanks for being ... someone I can trust. Just ... well, thanks." 

Her voice was calm and steady now. "No problem. Glad to do it, Sir." 

"You're great, Kim." 

"You're not so bad yourself. Rough tough cream puff if you ask me." 

I chuckled. "I went through a lot of secretaries before I found you." 

"Yeah, well, I don't scare easy." 

"No you don't. Thanks again." 

"I'm in my car now, heading out." She paused. "I didn't even know you had a girlfriend until you gave me the keys to her apartment yesterday." 

"I don't bring my personal life to work." 

"No, I know. I was just surprised." 

"Can't imagine anyone wanting to date me?" I teased. 

"No!" she exclaimed. "I just ..." 

"It's O.K., Kim. Oh! I'm such an ass. Tell Julie that she's a D.C. cop." 

"Your girlfriend is a cop?" 

"Yeah, she's a detective." 

"Wow. I'll tell Agent Rinto. Her name is Clara, right?" 

"Yes, Clara Jordan." 

"I saw her picture on your table. She's beautiful, sir. Looks more like a model than a cop." 

"Thanks, I think she's gorgeous." I cleared my throat, wondering why these things were suddenly falling out of my mouth now all the time. 

She tactfully didn't respond, probably knowing I was embarrassed having said that. "Well, if there's nothing else, I'll talk to you later," she said. 

"Just pray, Kim. Just pray." 

"That I can do, sir. Good luck." 

She hung up and I stared at Mulder for a few seconds. "This makes no sense," I said finally. 

"He took her for money?" 

"Yeah, and I'm fairly certain she doesn't have any. She's a cop for Christ's sake. And I make a decent salary but I don't have that kind of money." 

"Maybe he figured the Bureau would cough it up." 

"Maybe, but I still think something doesn't smell right. Clara's not with the Bureau, so why would they give money for her? I don't think he meant to get Scully. It just worked out that way." 

"You think it's a trap? Someone trying to lure you into a tight spot, knowing you'll go after her?" 

"Maybe, that's a possibility. But I've done everything those ... consortium bastards have asked of me. As far as I know, I haven't done anything to piss them off lately. They haven't asked me for anything that I haven't given them. What the fuck could they want?" 

"I don't know. And you're jumping to conclusions. We don't know that they are involved." 

I gave him my best, 'you've got to be joking look.' "I know, it's the first thing we assume whenever anything goes wrong, but it might not be them." 

"Who else?" 

"Or it might be Krychek working alone, wanting some running money so he can disappear again, using this guy as a dupe." 

"There would be easier ways to get it." 

"But he would love to torment us. I can't believe anybody would be stupid enough to not only use the ATM but not cover the camera. This guy was not a professional criminal. Unless he wanted us to see that to lure us down here." 

"Nope, not Krychek. This guy on the machine said he didn't know who Scully was at first. This is someone who knows me and Clara. He didn't plan to grab Scully but she was there." 

"Well the consortium knows who Scully is so that doesn't make sense either." 

I threw my hands up in the air. "I feel so ... helpless!" 

"I'm familiar with the feeling," he replied. 

Just then, Agent Philips knocked and entered the room. "I found a lip reader, she lives ten minutes from here. She's on her way with her interpreter." 

"Interpreter?" 

"Someone who signs." 

"Great," Mulder said. "Send her in when she gets here. What's her name?" 

"Trudy Barrett." 

He spun out of the room and then turned back. "I'm sending some agents down to that mall again to ask some of the store owners if they saw anything." 

"Wasn't it closed?" 

"The mall was closed, but some of the owners or employees are there afterwards locking up and such for the evening. Somebody may have seen something. A car maybe, something." 

"Thanks," I nodded at him. "I appreciate it." 

"Let me know if you need anything else." 

He went out. Mulder said, "He's being very nice about this." 

"Yeah, I know, this isn't officially Bureau business." 

"It is now." 

"You're right. I'm not thinking clearly." 

"He kidnapped and transported a Federal Agent over State lines. Definitely Bureau jurisdiction. Julie will pull out all the stops." 

"Yeah, and Clara's popular on the job too. I know that. I've talked to some of the other guys in her squad and to her Lieutenant. I bet I could have a slew of D.C. cops down here in a heart beat if I asked." 

"We won't need them. The less noise we make the better. They'll set up on your phone. We have to wait for his call." 

"I hate waiting." 

"So do I." 

A few minutes later there was a knock on the door. Agent Philips squired in Trudy Barrett and her friend, Selma Hyatt, who was busy signing and making introductions. Trudy was maybe 30 years old, brown hair and pretty green eyes. Selma was a bit older, with brown skin and looked to be of some mid-eastern descent. We explained what we needed her to do and she nodded eagerly and pulled a chair up close to the TV screen. 

She had us replay it twice, a confused look on her face. Then the third play through, she waved frantically and I handed her a pen and my small notebook. 

She signed to Selma and Selma said, "One more time." 

Mulder ran it again. I think he was holding his breath as much as I was. She scribbled on the pad, then turned and smiled, nodding her head curtly as though satisfied. 

I was trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach. God, I couldn't remember the last time I was so worked up, jumpy, nervous. I sat down next to her at the table and she slid the pad to me. Mulder looked over my shoulder. 

In blocky writing she had written: 

First time is name: Garrett or Garnet 

Second time is name? Place? : Orlan / Father 

I handed the pad to Mulder. "Have Philips start running all that for known felons." 

He nodded but then asked, "What do you think 'father' means?' 

"I don't know. Maybe she means this guy is a father?" 

"No its ... where is Clara's father?" 

"OH MY GOD! That's it!" 

"What?" 

"His name is Orlando Jordan. He lives in Hilton Head, South Carolina. He's a successful business man." 

"Is he rich? This could be about money after all." 

"I don't know. She's never said so. But we're going to find out. She said he owns a real estate development company, Jordan  & Mitchell. I don't know much else." 

"That's enough to track him down. I'll get on it." He headed for the door then turned and said, "Thank you, Trudy. You've been an enormous help. This gives us some leads to follow." 

God, I hadn't thanked her. She nodded apparently having read Mulder's lips. I rushed to thank her as well. She signed to Selma as Mulder smiled. 

Selma turned to me, "She says, you're welcome and wants to know if you have pictures of the women who were taken, anything personal?" 

"Yes, I do. Mulder?" 

"Yeah, I have her picture in my wallet." 

"Why?" I asked. I waited while they signed back and forth for a minute. I saw Selma shake her head as though she was unhappy with whatever was said. 

"What?" I asked. 

Selma sighed. "Trudy has helped the local police before, not the FBI, but the local cops." 

"How?" 

"She claims that the accident that took her hearing left her with some ... other gifts." 

Mulder was obviously intrigued. I could practically see his antenna go up. "Skills? Is she psychic?" 

Leave it to him to assume I was something weird. I was surprised when Selma said, "Yes, sometimes. Not always, but sometimes when she touches things she will get flashes. And it doesn't have to be something they have been near recently necessarily. Most people laugh at her if she tells them, but she has helped the police and they can't argue with the results." 

Trudy motioned for the pad and Mulder handed it to her. She peeled off the sheet with the names and handed it to him. She began scribbling furiously. 

'Not reliable, my skill. Doesn't always happen, no promises. But sometimes. I have no control, it comes and goes. But worth a try? Yes/No? Even if you are not a believer. Pictures? Names?' 

She raised her face and beamed a smile at Mulder. He dug in his wallet and pulled out a picture. It was a picture of him and Scully. He was standing behind her, his chin on her head, his arms around her waist. They were both smiling soft smiles and looked so happy. I figured it must have been taken in Maggie Scully's living room judging by the fireplace they were standing in front of. Mulder handed the picture to her, saying, "Dana Scully, and I am a believer." 

Then he wrote it on the pad. She laid the photo on the table and laid her fingers on the picture and closed her eyes. 

I fished a picture out of my wallet. It was the only one I had on me. It was a picture of Clara in full uniform, holding up her new detective badge after her promotion ceremony. She was holding her hat in the other arm tucked under her arm pit. Her hair was pulled back into a soft bun at the nap of her neck, but her face was framed with the soft waves. I ran my thumb over her face and felt my chest constrict with a wave of emotion. 

Trudy had opened her eyes when I looked up. She had Selma translate. "I see a couple very much in love." She looked at Mulder. "You are the love of this woman's lifetime. I could feel her and she is waiting for you. She knows you are coming for her. But I saw nothing very helpful." 

Trudy shook her head as if to say that she was sorry. Mulder shrugged, his eyes wet, accepting her result with grace. She held out her hand and took Clara's picture from me. 

Although I now believed in many things I never would have thought I would, I was still skeptical about psychics. Although I knew they'd been very helpful to police over the years and were more readily accepted now a days, I wasn't very hopeful, particularly after her non-success with Mulder's picture. I wrote, 'Clara Jordan', on the pad. 

At least she had been honest about it and hadn't made something up. That could be trouble. She went up a notch in my mind because of her honesty. She touched the picture, running her fingers over the edges and closed her eyes again. She swayed slightly. Selma reached for her but she shook her head and held up one hand as though she had seen her with her eyes closed. 

Her other hand moved the picture on the table. She leaned over it pressing all her fingers onto it, pressing hard. Her breathing sped up noisily and she whimpered. I didn't dare touch her. 

She sucked in a ragged breath, shuddered and opened her eyes. Her hands were shaking as she lifted them from the picture and clutched them together for a moment. She took another breath and then lifted her hands and began to sign. Selma translated. 

"The woman is proud, defiant about her career. Someone in her life doesn't approve of her choice. Brother? Father? Maybe relevant, maybe not. I saw two signs, green like highway signs." 

Selma paused, waiting, then continued. "One, not sure, maybe 'Nash' something. The other, definitely said 'Sweetwater.'" 

Mulder's head snapped up. "Familiar Mulder?" I asked. 

"There's a Sweetwater, Tennessee. The other one could have been Nashville." 

"We have lots of work to do," I said. 

Trudy was still signing. I felt like leaping out of my seat. I wanted to be making phone calls, barking orders, speeding off to Tennessee. Anything! My leg bounced with impatience. I didn't want to be rude. Then it struck me how quickly I had accepted her 'vision' as real, as current, as pertinent to this situation. I was getting desperate, grasping at straws. I had to calm down. 

Selma said, "She said she could feel them, both of them." 

"From the picture?" 

"Yes, hard to explain, but she can connect with their, well, what she calls their life force if she has an object to focus on. If they are close and she finds them, she can feel them. She says they are scared, but not terrified, not paralyzed by fear. They are not hurt. This has to do with the woman, Clara and her job. Focus on her and her job." Selma paused, then said, "She says she might get more if she had clothing or something more personal. Something they had touched." 

Mulder said, "The ATM." 

I looked at him. "Good thinking. You want to take her down there?" 

"Yeah. I'll get Philips on these names first. What are you going to do?" 

"I'm going to find Daddy Jordan and find out if he has any enemies, and if he has the kind of money this guy is asking for. This may have nothing to do with me after all." 

He stopped before exiting and said, "Walter, if it comes down to the wire and the Bureau won't come through ... " He   
paused. 

"What?" 

"I could pay the ransom if it turns out that's really what he's after." 

My jaw dropped open. "Mulder, how?!" 

He simply said, "I've got it, that's all." 

"You've got $500,000!" 

He nodded curtly. Then he motioned for the women to follow him. 

**XXXXXXXXXX**

There was a ton of work to be done and Agent Philips put his entire staff at our disposal. Apparently they had nothing exciting going on at the moment. And although none of them knew Scully, or Clara for that matter, they were appalled that someone had snatched 'one of their own.' 

A diligent search turned up several Garretts of first and last name that were in the database as having records of violent crime. I'd never once considered that this could be the result of anything other than my enemies. Not once. More fool I. 

I had called Orlando Jordan and told him that his daughter had been snatched. His reaction was odd to say the least. He said, 'I knew she'd get herself in a jam eventually. Stupid. Women on the police force. What is the world coming to.' 

I'd been shocked, and got a sudden insight into Clara and her reluctance to discuss her family. A short discussion determined that they were obviously wealthy. The father obviously didn't approve of her career choice. 

"Sir, do you have any enemies in business or otherwise that might be capable of doing this, snatching your daughter extort money from you?" I asked. 

[No, not that I know of and if I did they'd be better off snatching me, or my son, Cameron. He's the one I care about. He's the one who stands to inherit. Besides, if you must know, most of my associates don't even know I have a daughter. We haven't spoken in years.] 

My heart sunk at this admission. I didn't think this had a thing to do with him, but I'd had to ask. And I thought he had a right to know. I was angry half way into the conversation. I probably should have let Mulder handle it. But I'd wanted to 'meet' him, even if it was over the phone. I wasn't impressed so far. He had disowned his daughter apparently, although those weren't the words he'd used. 

Finally, I'd felt compelled to defend her. 

"Sir, Clara is a terriffic police officer and an outstanding detective on the D.C. force. She is very highly regarded by her peers. She's had several commendations. She's very good at what she does." 

He'd made some sort of inarticulate sound. I couldn't tell if it was disbelief, surprise or mere acknowledgment. "Our agent said that name 'Garrett' and the name Orlando on the ATM tape. Does the name Garrett mean anything to you?" 

[No. And are you sure she said Orlando? There's no sound on those things that I know of.] 

"We brought in a lip reader." 

[Oh well then, she must be mistaken.] 

"Well, you have my number. Please call us if you think of anyone that might be involved in something like this." 

Then he'd shocked me by saying, [You speak very passionately about her.] I hadn't responded. 

[Are you the man in her life?] 

I'd simply answered, "Yes, I love her very much." 

[Well, then, you're obviously biased.] He paused while I bit my tongue nearly in half suppressing the retort I wanted to blast him with. 

Instead, I said, "I didn't give her the commendations. Her superiors gave them to her because she earned them. I may be biased on a personal level, but not professionally. She's a fine cop, one of the best." 

He made that funny sound again and then asked, [And what did you say you do for a living? You're a cop with her on the force?] 

I'd said, "No, sir, I'm an Assistant Director with the **FBI."**

There had been silence and then he said, [Well, that is impressive. She's done well for herself.] He said it as though he were talking about an acquaintance, someone else's daughter. 

"She doesn't need a man to do well for herself, sir. Her accomplishments speak for themselves." 

He'd asked, [What was your name again?] He was probably going to check me out. Let him, I thought. 

"Walter Skinner." I sighed and ended it saying, "Do you want me to call you when we know something? 

He'd replied, [If you like. Yes, you do that.] I'd hung up feeling an ache in the pit of my stomach. 

When Mulder asked me how it went, I simply said, "We need to check him out. The man is an unbelievable asshole." He hadn't asked any more questions. 

Calls were made to the Tennessee Bureau and the police state wide to be on the lookout for the women. Pictures were faxed and an APB was put out on the grainy ATM photo of the kidnapper. 

All of a sudden, sitting in the room going over everything we had for the tenth time, Mulder looked up, as though startled. "Oh my God." 

"What?" 

He didn't answer me. He just picked up the phone and started dialing. I walked out of the room to clear my head. I needed some fresh air. 

**XXXXXXXXXX**  
**FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2001**

On Mulder's request, a chopper took a copy of the ATM tape along with the list of names from the FBI database and flew them to D.C. 

An agent under Julie Rinto did Moch 2 with his hair on fire to get it to the detective squad. Twelve detectives from day shift and six from night shift crowded around and watched the video while one rookie FBI agent, Agent Demsey O'Connor waited patiently. 

Clara had a partner, something that had worried me in the beginning, until I met him. He was a young black man, about 32, but had a wife and kids. His name Timothy Breen. Demsey called to tell me that on the second run through of the tape, Officer Breen had stood up and gasped. "I know who it is!" 

A chorus of "Who?" had sung out over the room. 

He'd said, "Holy shit, that's Mason Garrett. She busted him." 

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Mulder returned from the ATM trip. He nearly flew into the room. "They're in Tennessee." 

I just looked at him. Unsure whether to place my faith in the judgment of a psychic. He didn't notice my hesitation. 

"Get your coat. Trudy said they were definitely heading to Tennessee. I'm betting Sweetwater rather than Nashville. It's rural, it's remote." 

I was still standing, looking at him. He finally noticed my hesitation. "Don't you want to come with me?" 

"How can we be sure, Mulder?" 

"We can't," he admitted. But it's a lead and I'm going to follow. I can't just sit here and wait for the phone to ring, damn it! I can't take it anymore. I have to DO something." 

I nodded. I knew exactly how he felt. He had seemed so calm before. He was finally losing it a bit and it actually made me feel good that I wasn't the only one freaking out. He had been calm, but now he had the scent, somewhere to go, somewhere to look and he couldn't sit in a chair any longer. Neither could I. 

I picked up my coat and followed him out the door, saying, "Let's go find this scumbag, Mason Garrett." 

**PART 3 (PG-13)**  
**ROUTE 40**  
**SOMEWHERE BETWEEN**  
**RALEIGH AND NASHVILLE**  
**FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2001**  
**12:00 NOON**

We were on the road for about an hour when the phone rang. Agent O'Connor had pulled every file and all information on Mason Garrett. He was definitely our man. 

He was a career criminal for hire. He'd done time on several occasions for drug related incidents, assaulting officers and one long stint for robbing a jewelry store and grand theft auto. Kidnapping seemed out of his depth but he was for hire and enough money could buy anything. The question was whether he was hired or acting alone. 

Apparently Clara had busted him in a drug sting of street dealers a few years back. He could hold a resentment. That was a possible motive. But he'd been arrested by other's and they'd never been targets. Of course, the others had all been men. 

Another hour into the trip, the news came from Agent Rinto that Garrett had called and requested his money be dropped in a train station locker in Nashville. The Bureau's negotiator had refused. He had said, 'No women, no money.' It had to be a straight exchange and they had to know that Scully and Clara were alive. That sentiment, although I knew it was reasonable and the nature of the game, made my guts twist. 

She couldn't be dead. I refused to even entertain the thought. 

He had apparently said that he would get back to them. They'd traced the call to phone booth in Nashville. They'd sent out the cops but he'd slipped away. I asked that they look for a connection to Sweetwater. Did he have any relatives there? 

Timmy Breen had also called to tell us that Garrett was a mean mother-fucker. He was violent, probably armed with both knives and guns. He remembered that he hadn't struck him as terribly bright, but he was a good fighter. In the drug world, he was just a mule, not a player. But he said to watch our backs. He'd never known this guy to work alone. 

He wasn't the brains of any operation. The good news was, he had no priors for any sexual offenses. Mulder and I had both been relieved about that. Their lives were in danger, no doubt. But hopefully, neither of them would end up being on the end of any sexual abuse. 

**XXXXXXXXXX**

We were in serious cow country out here. We really had no idea where to start looking, and Nashville was too huge of an area. Besides, there were cops checking out every hotel, hospital and inn in the Nashville area already. We went straight to Sweetwater and found the small center of town that was graced with one General Store with a gas pump out front, a Package store and a church. We went to the store first and questioned the owner, one, Ronald "Rusty" Burns. Adrenaline raced through me at the news. He'd seen them, just the evening before. 

This was a small town and strangers were spotted and remembered. He said the man had come in and bought three sandwiches from the deli counter and some chips and other food. He'd paid in cash. He'd bought gas too. The owner had thought the amount of food was a lot and had peeked out the window when he left. 

There were two women in the back seat of the car. He'd put the groceries in the trunk but thrown the sandwiches in through the back window. The women hadn't appeared to be restrained but he really hadn't gotten a good look. But he remembered Scully's red hair even though he hadn't gotten a good look at their faces. He positively identified the man though. It was him. 

We asked what he was driving and he said, "A green VW Jetta." Bingo. 

We asked if there were any lodges, hunting cabins, Bed and Breakfasts around here. He said there was one Bed and Breakfast. We waited while he made some phone calls. He said he knew everyone in this town, and with a population of about 300, we believed him. He called the package store, but the owner knew nothing. 

He called several friends. On the fourth call, we hit pay dirt. We could tell by his body language that he'd found out something and waited impatiently for him to finish the call. He turned to us and said, "Rodney Tanner, he's farmer up the road here. Said he'd seen the car go by the farm yesterday headed into the outskirts of town. 

"What's up there?" Mulder asked. 

Rusty said, "Nothing much, it heads into the mountains. There are some hunting cabins up there. All that property is owned by a development company though. They are planning to strip the forest and build commercial lots there eventually. Probably want to build factories. The people in town are fighting it. Folks still use the hunting cabins, even though its trespassing now. But it's not hunting season now." 

"What development company?" I asked, my throat suddenly tight. 

"Outfit called 'Jordan  & Mitchell.'" 

Mulder and I looked at each other, as another piece of the puzzle fell into place. 

"What the hell?" I muttered. 

Rusty asked, "You know that outfit?" 

"Yeah, I do. Thank you. How many cabins up there?" I asked. 

"About 20. Your looking at about 150 acres up there." 

"Great," Mulder said. Then he looked at me and said, "Let's get going. Maybe we'll be able to track the car." 

We gassed up the car and headed out. The road was obviously not well traveled and once into the forest where the road cut through, there were no roads intersecting. So there really was only one path for a while. It was dirt and gravel and actually not more than a path. 

Mulder nearly skidded to a stop about 10 miles up when we came to a fork in the road. We both got out and scoured the ground. There were tire tracks heading off to the left, so we jumped back in and continued on. Another five miles or so, we came upon a dead end. The car was parked off to the side a bit. 

We raced to the car and found nothing but scattered food wrappers and both the girls purses. We dumped them out on the back seat. A piece of blue note paper fell out of Clara's. I snatched it up and hollered to Mulder. 

He ran around and looked over my shoulder, saying, "Scully's phone is there so she doesn't have it with her." He looked down at the note and read it with me. 

'Mason Garrett - S's gun + his own. Ck my father. Ill. Cabin due N.' Love you. C-' 

Mulder and I just looked at each other. "That son of a bitch! He's involved up to his eyeballs!" 

"Her father?" 

"Yes! He probably hired this scumbag. What I don't know is why!" 

"Why would he want his daughter out of the way? Why kidnap his own daughter and ask for money for her? Is the business in trouble?" 

"I don't know. Which the fuck way is north?" 

Mulder stood and pointed off to our left. "That way." 

"How do you know this stuff?" I asked without rancor. 

He shrugged, "Internal compass, I guess." 

I nodded and we both took off. Once we broke into the tree line, I could see the vague outline of a path. It was overgrown, but definitely a path. We had both worn jeans and tee shirts under leather jackets. Mulder had packed two backpacks with extra shirts and a blanket and some water and a few other essentials, including a first aid kit. 

We were both carrying guns in shoulder holsters, one on our waist and little derringers on our ankles. My feet were already hurting from the boots I was wearing. I wasn't used to wearing work boots. 

I was in shape, but Mulder was a runner and after about ten minutes of running, I had to ask him to slow down a bit. We slowed to an easy trot and then I was able to keep up. I could feel sweat soaking my back under the pack that flopped slightly on my back. Mulder was sweating too. There was no way you couldn't. It was so bloody hot. The humidity made it hard to take a deep breath. Christ, you could take a deep breath and drown out here. We finally stopped for a rest, pulling water from the sport bottles Mulder had packed. 

Good thing he'd been thinking. I wouldn't have thought to pack a bag at all, let alone bring water. I'd been out of the field too long, I realized. Of course, my concern for Clara outweighed everything. All I could think about was finding her and holding her in my arms again. 

Without a word being spoken, we nodded at each other and started out again. At least I hadn't worn new jeans. The boots were feeling heavy on my feet, but I knew the boots were safer than sneakers. In the woods, it was too easy to twist an ankle in sneakers, plus sharp objects could be poked through sneakers. 

How Mulder had known that we would end up in the woods was beyond me. But he'd said Sweetwater was the ass end of nowhere and now I could see that he was right. I wondered when he had been here before and for what. Now was not the time to ask. 

Finally, Mulder stopped when the trees began to thin. I was panting and sweating bullets. He pulled a water bottle out and handed it to me silently. I drank and handed it back to him. He drank and looked around. "I think we are getting close." 

"How do you know?" 

"Just a feeling. The trees are thinning, the undergrowth isn't as bad. Probably means there is a clearing ahead. We should rest a little. I don't want to be out of breath when we get there. I'm betting the cabin is just ahead." 

I nodded, deferring to his assessment of the situation. He had so much knowledge stored in that box on his shoulders. I had jokingly called him an encyclopedia of useless knowledge once. Now I was grateful. No knowledge was really useless. You never knew when some tidbit of information was going to be useful. When it came to trees and nature, I might as well have been retarded. Give me concrete and high rises and I was perfectly at home. 

I found being out here more than a little ... spooky. I didn't say so though. We stood silently until our breathing was under control. Then he said, "We walk from here." 

I nodded and followed him as he proceeded forward, I assumed, still going due north. God Bless his internal compass. I would have been lost one mile in. "How far have we come?" I asked quietly. 

"About 3-1/2 miles," he answered. 

"Do you jog every day?" 

"When I'm not on a case." 

"How far do you go every day?" 

He smiled, knowing I was worn out. "About six miles. I jog out to Arlington National Cemetery, which is about three miles from my apartment, and then turn around and go back." 

"Christ, I gotta start running." 

He chuckled. "You're in good shape. You're ... buff, as the   
girls like to say." 

I smiled. "Yeah, I work out at the gym, but that doesn't help my lung capacity." 

"No, you need aerobic exercise for that." 

"Exactly." 

We walked again in silence for a while when suddenly, Mulder's arm shot out across my chest. I stopped abruptly and looked at him. He cocked his head to side as if listening. I couldn't hear anything. What the hell was it? 

He sniffed the air and said, "Fire." 

There was a odd tone to his voice and I looked at him sharply again. Then I remembered his phobia about fire. "Are you all right?" 

"Yes." But I could see his breathing speed up a bit. 

"Stay calm, Mulder, it might just be smoke from a fireplace chimney. I could smell it now. 

He nodded. "You're right, not time to panic yet." He gave me a crooked smile, trying to joke about it. 

"I'm with you, Mulder." 

"I know. Let's go." 

He started out with a determined stride, but his pace was slower. Another two hundred yards or so and we came to the edge of a clearing. We could see the cabin through the trees. It had an air of dissuse. Sure enough there was smoke coming from the chimney that stuck up like a brick pimple against the blue sky. 

We crouched down behind some trees and watched for any movement within but could see nothing. "What do you want to do, Walter?" 

I shook my head, "I don't know, but sitting here isn't going to help." 

"How about we each take a side? Let's circle around and check out each side of the cabin. See if we can get close enough to look in if there are any windows. We'll meet behind the house, into the tree line." 

"Sounds like a plan." I removed my Baretta 9mm from my shoulder holster. It had an automatic clip with 14 rounds. I chambered a round, nodded at him and walked off toward the right side of the house, circling just inside the tree line. I was darting from large tree to large tree, since the foliage was thin here. 

I glanced and saw Mulder head off in the other direction. When I reached the side of the cabin, there were no windows. I expelled a breath of disappointment and continued around to the back. It was about 5:00 PM now the sky was just beginning to dim. It would be light for another hour at least. We had that much going for us. I reached the rear of the cabin and squatted down, squinting at the back side. There was a small cement stoop leading to a back door. There was a porch on the front, but not on this side. There were however, two windows. 

Mulder came up behind me so silently, I jumped when he tapped my shoulder. I grunted and gave him my best 'don't DO that' look. He flashed a grin. We both looked at the cabin. 

He said, "We have to get a look inside." 

Just then I heard a noise like a squeaky hinge. I looked immediately at the door but no one came out. Mulder grasped my shoulder with one hand and pointed to the foundation of the house. 

I looked and saw a small window, maybe one foot in height and two feet wide. It was your standard basement window that opened from the bottom and was hinged on the top. 

"I can't fit in there," I said. 

"I doubt I can either, but look." 

I squinted at it, thinking that I needed new glasses. I saw a flash of red hair and gasped. "They're down there." 

"Yeah," Mulder breathed out. 

"Now what?" 

"Do you think the girls can fit through there? Scully can, but I don't know about Clara." 

"She's tall but she's thin." 

"I think they can. What about if you try to get them out and I'll go around front and create some sort of diversion for him out front. I'm assuming he's in there." 

"O.K., we'll have to make sure he isn't down there with them first." 

"O.K." We heard the creak of the hinges on the window again. "They're trying to get it open. It's probably stuck." 

"There going to make too much noise." He picked up a pebble, aimed carefully and chucked it at the window. 

It landed dead center and pinged off the window. Two faces appeared in the window immediately, but then sink down out of sight. Mulder said, "They don't know it's us. I'm going to step out and head around front. They'll see me." 

"What if he does?" 

"It's a chance I'll have to take." 

I nodded. "Go." 

He scooped up another pebble, stepped into the clearing in three quick steps, tossed his pebble and then crouched down and scurried toward the house. When he reached the house, he flattened his back against the foundation next to the window. The window creaked open just a hair. 

I could hear him whispering to them. I couldn't tell what he was saying but I assumed he was telling them the plan. A few moments later, he tossed a small pebble in my direction, knowing I would be watching him like a hawk. He rolled to his feet and made his way around to the front of the building. I waited. 

Suddenly I heard a shot ring out. I forgot caution and raced to the side of house, flattening myself on my belly outside the window. Two faces smiled up at me. I put my fingers over my lips. They nodded. 

I peered past their heads and could see they were in some sort of small cellar. It smelled horrible down there. I heard a voice come bellowing outside, apparently through the front door. "What the fuck?!" 

Then I heard Mulder's calm baritone saying, "Sorry guy, I was taking a shot at a deer, but I missed." 

"Well this is private property. You're not supposed to be hunting here. Get the hell out of here." 

"I would love to except that I'm lost," Mulder replied. "Can you point me in the right direction." 

I heard some grumbling and then foot steps leaving the porch. I grasped the bottom of the window, testing it. It was rusted and sticky. I took a deep breath waiting for a good moment. The girls put their hands on the frame to assist me. I came up on my knees. 

Then I heard the guy say, "You're no fucking hunter, you don't have a rifle." His voice was full of suspicion. 

I heard Mulder say, "No, you're right asshole." Another shot rang out and I yanked with all my strength. The window squealed on it's hinges, but it let loose and flew up. The jointed hinge snapped. I yanked again and the other side, rusted and feeble, let loose as well and I flopped it up against the house. 

I could hear Mulder scuffling with the guy out front. Grunts and sound of flesh hitting flesh floated to my ears. I didn't know whether to help him first or the girls. I decided to stay where I was. Garrett didn't know I was here yet. I thrust my arms in the hole and Clara grapsed my forearms. I yanked hard, pulling her up off the floor as she leaped a bit. It was awkward, but I pulled her through the hole. She flopped on the ground and scrambled to her knees. 

Her slacks where torn and there was blood on the collar of her blouse. I could see her lip was split. The bastard must of hit her. I yanked her into a fierce, quick hug and handed her my Sig Sauer from my belt. She stood and put her back to me, guarding my back. I heard Scully grunt as she tried to lift herself up. Her knuckles were white against the sill as she tried to lift herself up. 

I felt a shot of guilt at waiting even those few seconds to hug Clara. I threw my arms in again and grabbed her under the elbows and hauled her up. She came through the window easier than Clara had. She was quite a bit smaller. Once on her feet, I handed her the derringer from my ankle holster. 

I heard another shot ring out and said, "Mulder!" under my breath. Scully's eyes went wide at the sound of the shot and she lurched forward. I stopped her with a hand on her bicep. "Wait! Are you all right?" 

They both nodded. "O.K. You two go that way." I pointed to the far side of the house. "I'll go this way. Let's see if we can flank him." 

They nodded and scuttled off to circle the building. I watched them disappear around the side of the house and turned to make my way around. 

We all rounded the front of the cabin at nearly the same time, all three of us in firing stances. Garrett and Mulder were rolling on the ground. There was blood on Mulder's mouth but I wasn't sure where it was coming from. 

They rolled and Garrett made his way on top, straddling Mulder. He punched him hard in the jaw and leaped off his body, taking a dive for his gun which was laying in the dirt about ten feet away. I shouted, "Freeze, FBI!" 

He glanced at me and then at the girls. His eyes went wide for about two seconds and then he lunged for the gun as he sat on his knees. A shot rang out. I looked up to see that Scully had fired. Her bullet hit his gun and sent it spinning away from him. 

Good shot. Man, the woman could shoot. Mulder was now on his feet and had his Sig in his hand from his waist band. I didn't know if the gun on the ground had been his or Garrett's, or Scully's. Scully would only have one shot left now in the little derringer. Mulder circled around behind him. I could see he was a little shaky. But the guy was surrounded now. 

He stood and held up his hands. I pulled the handcuffs from my belt and advanced on him, keeping my weapon trained on him. "Hands behind your back," I growled. 

He did. I circled behind him. As I went to holster my weapon, he spun suddenly and did a round house kick that landed squarely in my gut. I grunted and doubled over. I think he was aiming for my solar plexus and missed. Although it hurt like hell, it handed knocked the wind out of me. 

Shit! I was cursing myself for my stupidity. I should have seen that coming. 

But is was the break he needed and spun away from me and bolted toward Clara. Mulder took at shot at him, but missed. 

Clara shot at him, I think aiming for his shoulder as he lunged at her. He dove and her bullet went high. He wrapped his arms around her thighs in a wrestler's grab and they both plummeted to the dirt. I heard her cry out as she landed on her back and saw her hand with her weapon go above her head. He grabbed her wrist and banged it on the ground. She lost her grip and he snatched the weapon. He hauled himself and her up to their feet. 

She was struggling. He was having a hard time holding her. Clara was 5' 9" tall and taller than him by a bit. But he was bulky. She stopped struggling when the gun came to rest against her temple. 

We all froze. He laughed maniacally. Mulder growled, "Drop the gun, Mason, you've got nowhere to go." My heart was somewhere in the vicinity of my throat. 

My eyes locked with Clara's. I saw her swallow harshly. He jostled her so he could look over her shoulder. "No closer, I'll kill her." 

Mulder said, "You won't get any ransom that way." 

"I'll get paid one way or the other." 

"What does that mean?" Mulder shouted. 

"It means that Daddy wants his princess out of the way. I decided to try and get some more money out of the deal, once I realized I had a FBI agent. But if it didn't work out, he'll pay me anyway." 

Clara whimpered, then asked, "Why?" 

"Ahh, Daddy is sick. I told you that. He's going to die soon. He's got two heirs and that won't do." 

"I don't care about his money!" she shouted. 

"Shut up, bitch!" he shouted. 

"He wants your brother, Cam to get it all. With you gone, there's no dispute." 

"I wouldn't contest!" Clara choked out. 

"How could he?" I asked, totally stunned that a father could do something like this to his daughter. He was discarding her like a nuisance. 

Garrett shrugged. "None of my business. But it was a chance for me to get revenge against this bitch anyway. Miss high and mighty detective. Put me away for a good long time!" 

"Let her go!" I shouted. "We'll pay you the money!" 

"We?" he laughed. "I was counting on the Bureau paying to get their agent back. What do they care about a bitch D.C. cop?" 

Mulder said, "I have money. I'll pay you the $500,000. What is Orlando paying you to ... kill her." He had trouble   
even saying it. 

Clara gritted her teeth and let out a keening wail. "Shut up, bitch!" Garrett shouted and tightened his hold on her throat, jerking her head back and forth. 

I gasped, hoping he didn't pull the trigger by accident. 

She went silent. Mulder licked his lips. "Well?" 

"$50,000!" he said. 

Mulder laughed. "That's all?" I glanced sharply at him, but then realized he was just playing the guy along. 

Garrett furrowed his brow. "You're in it for the money right?" Mulder asked. 

"Yeah," he said hesitantly. 

Mulder said, "I'll give you $600,000. But you have to let her go - unharmed, right now." 

He laughed. "Then what? You and I are going to go waltzing to your bank and make a withdrawal?" 

"Yes," Mulder said, no hint of hesitation in his voice. 

"You don't have that kind of money! You're bluffing!" 

"I have that kind of money," he stated calmly. 

Did he? I wondered. He'd said he could pay the ransom, but I'd had no idea he had that kind of money. How'd he get it? Had his parents been that rich? I had no idea. 

Garrett seemed to hesitate. Clara glanced over at Scully and my eyes followed hers. Scully nodded to Clara as Mulder held Garrett's gaze. What the fuck was going on here. 

Clara said, "Walter, take him out," through gritted teeth. 

I pressed my lips together and aimed. Then I shook my head. "I can't!" 

Scully shouted, "Garrett! Look out!" 

He whipped his head to the side, looking at her. His grip loosened on Clara and she bent double at the waist, crouched slammed her elbow up into his chest. 

He shouted and the gun went off, the bullet ricocheting off the front porch, sending bits of wood flying. Clara dropped to the ground and rolled. 

Sucking in breath, but not having lost his weapon, Garrett straightened up. My eyes met his and a wash of rage overcame me. 

Without another thought I aimed and fired his right shoulder out. I wanted to kill him, but I also wanted more answers. He dropped his weapon and crumpled to the ground. Mulder was on him in an instant and had him cuffed, his shoulder bleeding profusely. The bullet had gone in and come out the back. 

Scully ripped his shirt and made make shift tourniquet of his sleeve. They laid him face down in the dirt and left him there. Mulder grabbed a cell phone from his back pack which he had dropped at the edge of the clearing. 

He wrapped one arm around Scully as he dialed the Bureau. I scooped Clara up in a bear hug and squeezed her until she complained that she couldn't breathe. I loosened my hold and looked into her eyes. She smiled a shy smile at me. "That was stupid," I said. I was referring to her and Scully's diversionary tactic. 

Her smile faded. "It worked, didn't it?" She sounded indignant and bit angry. 

I looked away, suppressing the wetness in my eyes. I turned back to her and ground out through clenched teeth, "You could have been killed!" 

Her face softened and her hands came up to cup my face. "But I wasn't. I'm all right. I'm banged up, but I'm all right." 

I hugged her to me again and she hugged back. I pulled back to see her face again, my hands coming up to run my thumbs over her cheeks. "He split your lip." 

She nodded. "Lucky that's all that got split." 

I pressed my lips together, feeling my face screw up with a wave of emotion that I couldn't readily identify at the moment. She whispered, "Shhh, I'm all right, Walter." 

I made eye contact again and bent down, licking her split lip gently. She gasped a little. I don't think I hurt her. I looked her in the eye again. "Don't scare me like that again," I scolded. 

She smiled then, wincing slightly as her split lip pulled taut. I leaned my lips to her ear, remembering my promise to myself. I felt tears choke my throat and wondered if I could get it out. Here was really not the place. But I didn't want to wait either. 

My voice sounded strangled, but I got it out. "I love you, Clara. Don't scare me like that again. I don't know if my heart can take it." 

I heard her gasp and I said, "God, I thought I'd lost you!" 

I hugged her against me, feeling her soft curves blend with mine. She was so tall and lithe and fit into me perfectly. I practically wrapped myself around her. Her lips were at my ear when she said, "I love you too, Walter. I'll show you how much later." 

I pulled back and grinned at her. "We may not be up for that right away. I'm just so relieved your safe now." 

I looked over to see Scully and Mulder staring at us, with wicked grins on their faces. I felt heat crawl up my neck and Clara laughed. Her tinkling laughter washed over me. I led her to the porch and sat down with her in my lap. I held her like that until the chopper arrived. It touched down in the clearing, barely missing the trees. We had to shield our eyes from all the dirt and sand it kicked up. We loaded ourselves in, along with Mason Garrett who was put on a cot in the back of the ambulance chopper and we sped back to D.C. 

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Mulder and I were given hell by everyone for going to the cabin by ourselves and not calling for back up. Neither of us gave a shit. We both knew having a bunch of agents crashing through the woods would have blown the deal. 

Fortunately, Clara and Scully didn't say a word when we gave a slightly altered version of what happened. We didn't want them to know just how close we'd come to blowing it when Garrett had grabbed Clara. 

Both women were seen at the hospital, checked out and pronounced healthy and released. We were all finally ready to leave the hospital when I asked Mulder, "Were you bluffing him about the money, Mulder?" 

I don't know why I even cared. I didn't want it to sound like I was asking because I wanted a loan! I had just been shocked. He stared at me for several moments, probably trying to determine why I was asking. Then he cleared his throat and smiled. "No, I wasn't bluffing." 

"Oh. Wow." 

He laughed then. "I'll tell you about it sometime, but not now." 

I nodded. "You don't have to, none of my business. I was just shocked." 

"It's all right. Right now, though, I have other things on my mind." 

He looked up and so did I. Clara and Scully were striding towards us, torn up clothes and all. I didn't care. Scully probably looked like as much of a vision to Mulder as Clara did to me. She was whole and she was healthy and she was looking me in the eye with an impish smile on her face. 

I mumbled, "What other things would those be, Mulder?" 

He barked out a laugh. "If I need to tell you, you've really lost it." 

We both laughed then. We hugged them when they reached us and turned to take them home. 

**PART 4 (NC-17)**  
**WALTER SKINNER'S APARTMENT**  
**SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2001**  
2:00 AM 

I knew she was exhausted and had resigned myself to just holding her all night long. I just needed to know she was there. She was being good about the fact that I didn't want to let her out of my sight for a while. 

There were lots of things yet to be resolved. Orlando Jordan had been arrested for conspiracy to commit murder. He was out on bond two hours after his arrest, awaiting a grand jury hearing. 

I knew we'd have to talk about that, but I wasn't going to push. She would tell me when she was ready to discuss it. Right now, I was exhausted and so was she. She was in the shower, scrubbing herself clean 'of that scum bags hands', as she had put it. 

Her lieutenant had called and given her a week off to recover from the experience. Told her to take longer if she needed it. I took a week from the five weeks I had stored up and planned to not let her out of my sight the entire time. I would have to once she went back to work, but until then, I was going to reassure myself that she was O.K. 

She'd given me one of those 'oh brother' looks when I'd told her that. But she hadn't protested. Mulder and Scully hadn't taken any time off, but they said they were staying in the office for a while until all the paperwork was caught up before they went running into the field again. That could take weeks! 

**XXXXXXXXXX**

I heard the water turn off and listened to the sounds of her moving about in the bathroom as she dried herself off. I heard the blow dryer come on for a couple of minutes. 

I was laying on the bed in my boxers when she emerged from the bathroom, stark naked, beads of water still glistening on her skin. I watched a bead of water crawl down between her lush breasts and travel down her belly, only to pool in her navel. 

I felt myself my harden instantly and strain against the cotton of my briefs. She had a look in her eye I'd never seen before. She stalked, ... yes, stalked to the bed. She didn't say a word. 

I watched as she bent over, grasped my boxer briefs by the elastic and ripped them down and off my legs. "Clara?" I asked, my voice a whisper. She didn't answer me. 

She leapt onto the bed, straddling my waist, her arms sliding up till her hands were behind my neck. All at once she was kissing me all over my face. I could feel the heat of her mouth, the heat of her body. 

'Sweet Jesus', I thought. I opened my mouth to let her in and her tongue plunged into the depths of my mouth, kissing me greedily. I moaned into her mouth. I wanted her so badly, so suddenly, with an almost crazed madness. 

I let loose and crushed her against me, returning her fervor. I drew her face into my hands and pulled out of the kiss, gasping for breath. I whispered, "God Clara, I missed you. I was so afraid." 

I watched her face, her mouth partially open, her cheeks flushed. Good lord, I wanted her. I needed to feel her, everywhere, stroke her, dive into her. Yesss. 

Time was suspended for a moment and then she whispered, "Tell me again." 

Mulder's words came back to me, 'women need to hear it. They can KNOW it till the cows come home, but they need to hear it.' 

I sucked in my breath. "I love you, Clara. God, how I love you." 

Her voice was low, nearly broken when she said my name, "Walter ..." Then she lunged for me, pressing every inch of   
her heated, naked flesh to my body, grinding her hips into my throbbing cock. 

I rolled her to the side, reached down and fingered her folds, to determine her readiness. I felt dizzy when my fingers felt the swollen, slick lips sliding between my fingers. 

She groaned low in the back of her throat and said, "Walter, now, Jesus, please! I neeed you!" 

I rolled her onto her back and parted her with shaking fingers. I took a deep breath as she raised her legs to my waist. I entered her in one sharp thrust, driving deep, right to the hilt. She was so tight, always so tight. 

She shouted, "Ohh! Yes! So full!" 

She was pulsing around me and breathing so hard I worried for a second she would pass out as I began to pump inside her. The heat of her was intense around my engorged shaft. I began to shudder and needed to pull back if I going to make it last. 

I came down with all my weight, pinning her to bed, watching her chest heave. I leaned over to kiss her neck, feeling flushed. Lord, I'd never felt passion like this. 

She had been tired. What had happened in that shower to make her want this? Life affirmation? All at once, I didn't care. 

I lifted my torso and reached between us to caress her flesh at our joining. She was hot and wet and so swollen and it was suddenly too much. I panted out, "Clara, oh God, come for me, baby, come for me." 

Her legs began to quiver against my sides, her breath hitching in her throat. Her head rolled to the side but suddenly snapped up and she looked me in the eye. 

Her eyes glazed over and looked blank for a second. Then she screamed, "Waaalllttteeerrr!" 

Her back arched off the bed, pulling me deeper inside as her muscles contracted tightly around me. I couldn't hold back anymore. 

Her screams washed over me as I threw my head back and yelled through my climax, pouring into her in a wild frenzy. "Clara, Oh God, Love! Yes!" 

As we both quieted, I leaned down to her ear. "I love you, Clara. I'm all yours, everything, no more reservations. I'm yours, forever." 

Her voice was hoarse from her shouting and she sounded a little dazed as she said, "Same to you. I love you, Walter." 

I pulled out of her gently, knowing our frenzy was probably going to leave her sore. She winced slightly and I said, "I'm sorry, I was a little rough." 

"It's O.K., that's the way I wanted it." 

I rolled onto my back and pulled her into my side. She draped a leg over my thigh and her hand rested on my sweaty chest. 

We fell asleep and I woke a couple hours later to feel her hand sliding up and down my cock, coaxing it into hardness. I groaned and raised my legs, glancing at the clock. It was 4:30 AM. We'd only been asleep for two and half hours. 

"Oh Clara," I moaned as she fondled my balls with her free hand. She raised her hands to my hips, jerking me toward her as she rolled onto her back. I kissed her gently but she was having none of it. 

Her teeth clashed with mine and she bit my lip. I reared back to see her lip bleeding even as I felt a rush of lust at her wildness. She said, "I need to feel you again." 

I was instantly ready, surging against her hip. She looked so fragile sprawled out beneath me. She was thin and I felt like a hulking giant hovering over her. I lifted up on my knees and her hands grabbed for crotch and squeezed hard, to just this side of pain. 

I pressed into her hands, grunting loudly. "Hurry," she said. 

"We should go slow this time, you'll be sore." 

"No," she said curtly, and moved her hands to my hips, jerking me down toward her. The head of my cock slipped into her as she raised her legs again, locking her ankles behind my ass and pulling them tight. 

I was afraid of hurting her, I was so instantly wild again. God, when she was aggressive it sent me completely over the edge. To be wanted like this was an incredible aphrodisiac. 

I rolled onto my back taking her with me and she straddled my hips, raising up on her knees. Her hand flew to my cock and positioned it between her legs. I croaked out, "You take control." 

She stared at my cock a moment, squeezing rhythmically. She was intent and her eyes glowed, looking black in the pale light that shone in from the bathroom. 

Again, I felt her heat as she slid herself down over me. I would never get over the sight of my rock hard cock sliding inside her. Her narrow hips hovering above me, her legs spread wide to the limit, was a sight that made me dizzy, every time. 

I grabbed her ass cheeks and held her steady as she descended, faster than she usually did. She was incredible, her insides smooth and wet and hot. She was dark and welcoming and so beautiful. She was slick with my seed from our previous encounter and she embedded me inside, grinding herself into me. 

She put her hands on my shoulders and I helped her to lift her hips. She gasped out, "Harder!" 

I gripped her tightly and began thrusting up hard, watching as I slammed into her over and over, looking like I would split her in two. But took me in eagerly, the muscles of her core wall waving around me, driving me mad. 

She shouted and arched her back, her breast thrust out in invitation. I reached up to pull her torso down, lifting my head and latching onto her nipple, suckling hard and laving her with my tongue. "Yes, suck hard!" she yelled. 

I did. We were insane again, our passion unleashed and out of control. She braced herself, bent over so I could suckle, and began lifting her hips and slamming onto me. 

I couldn't take it anymore, these shallow thrusts and rolled her onto her back, wrapping my arms around her back and bracing my knees on the bed. 

I slammed into her hard, pounding her hard enough to make her bounce on the bed. My belly slid over hers with every thrust, our sweat greasing the way. She moaned continuously now as I pumped into her for all I was worth, feeling my orgasm approaching at the base of my spine, coiling in my sacs. 

She ripped out a raw shout, "Aaaawwww, Aaaawwww, Oh! Gooooo..." And she broke apart in my arms, squeezing me tight, her legs clamping onto my hips, her nails digging into my shoulders. 

She looked pagan and wild, her head tossed back, her kinky hair spread out behind her head, her throat exposed, her chocolate nipples pinching up hard as pebbles as her orgasm took her. I couldn't hold out and shouted as I jerked into her one last time and emptied into her, ejaculating more than I thought it was possible for a second round in one night. 

When our breathing returned to normal, I kissed her tenderly, licking her sore and swollen lip, tasting blood. She mewled and pulled back. "Sorry," I whispered. 

"S'Okay," she mumbled. 

I said, "Clara, I'm an old man, you're going to kill me." 

She giggled then and I gloried in the sound of it. "You did all right, better than all right." 

We both moaned as I eased out of her. "I'm going to be sore tomorrow." 

"Me too, and it's tomorrow already." 

"Whatever." 

She chuckled and rolled up to my side. "I love you, Walter. I'm sorry I was so out of control." 

"Nothing to be sorry for. I love it when your aggressive." 

"But I wasn't being loving, I was ..." 

"It's all right. It's perfectly natural after a life threatening situation to want to make sure you're alive. This is undoubtedly the best way to do it." 

She chuckled. "That's for sure. I'm glad you understand." 

"Of course I do." 

"You don't feel used?" 

I laughed now. "Honey, you can use me that way, anytime!" 

She laughed with me, burying her nose in my neck. "I'll keep that in mind," she mumbled, licking my neck. 

I shivered at the contact. "Clara, I'm sorry it took ... a situation like this for me to get up the guts to tell you." 

"Tell me? What situation?" 

"I'm sorry it took you being missing in action for me to tell you I was in love with you." 

"Oh." She was silent a moment. "Well, if that was the push you needed, then I guess I owe Garrett a debt." 

"You don't owe that scum bag anything, or your father either!" 

She gulped and didn't respond. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I shouldn't have said that." 

"It's all right. I will talk about that, but not right now. I'm not ready yet." 

"Whenever you're ready. I'm an ass for mentioning it." 

"Don't worry about it. Just be here for me. O.K.?" 

Mulder was turning out to be one smart son of bitch when it came to women. He'd said, 'she just needs me to be there for her, physically and emotionally, and that's what Clara needs from you too.' 

"Always, love, always." 

She snuggled up into my torso and nearly purred. She fell asleep seconds later. If we weren't so exhausted, I might have been proud of myself. But I did feel good about one thing. She'd needed me to be there. And I had been. She'd needed me to make her feel alive, and I had. 

I thought she was asleep and so I was startled a moment later when she mumbled, "Walter, you've made me very happy, you know." 

I hummed. "The door swings both ways, baby." 

"I like it when you call me, baby." She was mumbling on the verge of sleep. 

"Good, now sleep ... baby." 

She did. I held her all night long and vowed that I was going to hold her every chance I got. And like Mulder, I was going to tell her I loved her every day. Life was just too short. 

But a woman's arms certainly made life worthwhile, and life more bearable. Mulder was right. I had a future to fight for now. And I was going to be there for her, no more taking stupid chances. I didn't want either of us to ever be missing in action, ever again. 

**THE END.**   
  


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